Arthur: The legend and myth Chapter 8

8.

“More men to that wall.” Arthur called out while his left arm held up the shield to block the axe. The axe wielder was a huge guy with a nasty scar across his face and a body frame that was wide at the waist. He was wearing naked above his waist but the chest was covered with tattoos. The axe wielder raised his axe once more but then Arthur had thrust the gladius into the waistline of the Picts just below the belt. He thrust it in deep and then did a side slash with it before pulling it out.  The axe wielder went down clutching his wound to prevent the innards from spilling out. Arthur ended the other’s plight with a neck cut that severed the head from it. He then used his right leg to kick the lifeless body away and turned to look for another to kill. He saw then Lamorak at the near wall swinging with both gladius in the hands.

Lamorak was naked except for his loin cloth which was held by the single seam at the waist. The man was a raging bear with no real strategy except brute force. He swung the two gladius in a closed arm swing and severed the Picts head. The blunt end of the axe from the Picts hit him on the left shoulder which he just shrugged it off and then did a thrust at the attacker with the left handed gladius.

“The man is mad.” Arthur muttered to himself before he moved on for his next Picts. These Picts are formidable fighters but these lacked coordination which the Legion had ingrained well into the training. Arthur saw a figure who may be a leader. He was dressed in the open vested tunic and held a long staff with some trinkets on it. He was directing the battle there and that made him a viable target to remove. Arthur stepped up and was intervened by another Picts who held a javelin in the hands. Arthur deflected the javelin with his gladius and then did a thrust at the Picts. He pulled the gladius out and then pushed the body aside. He looked for the leader who had then retreated. Arthur did the unthinkable when he tossed his gladius at the leader. The gladius struck at the back of the head and the leader then collapsed forward over the wall.

“Darn! That was my sword.” Arthur cursed out before he stooped to pick up a fallen gladius. Arthur then saw Lancelot on the far side with his long sword slashing away at the Picts. Once moment he was holding the sword with both his hands lowered in front and in a sweep of the arms, the sword deflected the thrust lance and with a clean move, the long sword of Lancelot appeared on the right to slash into the Picts warrior.  Lancelot’s moves were alike that if a dancer his move kills.

Arthur looked away and saw Merlin was at the yard. The druid was busy with his own weapons. He was conjuring up fire balls with his hands and tossing them at the attackers. His fire balls on impact will burst into flames that burned the skin. Arthur smiled that the druid who spoke of taller tales could be of some assistance in a battle. He knew that the wounded man was in the Centurion’s quarter probably cowering in the corner. On the mentioned of the Centurion, Arthur looked for the one named Percival.

Percival was at the yard to direct the others with his gladius waving like a baton. He was not the fighter anymore but he knew strategy. He was up against a foe that was three times his force. They came onto his camp just before the break of dawn. It was prelude with the Picts so-named druids that stood out there with their painted faces and bodies to perform the rituals. Soon after the rituals the Picts warriors will then marched forward and screamed their voices hoarse before they took to the run at the camp walls. They came in from east by the river fork with their axes and serrated blades done up that way to inflict more pain on the wound. Some were armed with the light javelins that were to breach the walls. They ran past the open pits and then tar filled ones. By then the scant defender’s archers numbering no more than a dozen have released the few blazing arrows into the tar. The flames soared up like the rise of the phoenix but then the Picts were at the wooden stakes at the walls. The first lines reached to remove the stakes while the others tossed their javelins at the sentries. The legionnaires wanted to charge out and removed those Picts but they knew their best position was to behind the walls then.

“They got a breach.” A Legionnaire had warned the others when he saw the stakes removed there. The small passage was enough for the Picts to advance. They came in with vengeance and then some scaled the walls while others used their axes to cut at the wooden wall.

“Archers, lean on them there.” Centurion Percival called on the dozen who wield the bow and arrows. “Earn your extra coin there or help me if I have you cheating Rome on the coins.”

The archers earlier deployed at the yard rushed up the wall and lent their deadly blows to the Picts below. One managed up the wall and was sent down with a javelin in the face. Percival knew the breach at the wall was soon and he roused up five legionnaires to back him. They lined up before the wall and held their ground.

“I can join in?” Percival turned to look at Lamorak who had joined him. The later was still wearing his loin cloth but his body was smeared in blood. He held a set of short handled mallet in his hands.

“Where is your gladius?” Percival frown at the bloodied mallet. He was one with the adherence to the rules. “Your gladius?”

“I lost it in the battle. I found these and they are bloody useful.” Lamorak brought up his prized weapon. “I could crack more heads with these.”

“Crazed murderous …” Percival’s words were drowned when the wooden wall was breached. A loosen pole was soon pried open by the Picts and with their numbers they breached the gap further. Lamorak have launched himself like a raging bear at them with the mallets swinging. Percival saw the action and called on the others to do the same.

“We have to seal the breach.” Percival called out. He swung with his gladius to cut into the Picts at the chest before he used his round shield to push the Picts back. Lancelot saw the breach and rushed over to assist but by then the gap had widen. He knew then that it was futile to fight on and ran to the corral. He had seen the horses were still there and their saddles in place. He grabbed six horses and then led them to the yard.

“Centurion, get on the horse. We are leaving.” Lancelot called out. “Called for the withdrawal.”

Percival looked to the horses and then the retired Centurion. He nodded and then called on the others to sound the withdrawal. Arthur had joined him then with Merlin and the wounded man. They knew then the escape was to fight another day. Percival mounted the horse and then saw Lamorak still hammering at a fallen Picts.

“Lamorak, get on the horse. We are leaving. This is an order.” Percival called the other. “And I mean it, Legionnaire.”

“Just when I was getting a good workout.” Lamorak limped over with a dagger in his left thigh. He soon joined the others who rode for the wall breach. Other Legionnaires have followed suit with the command to withdrawal.